The 2026 offseason is expected to bring major changes to the NBA, with Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo expected to be traded to a new team. Antetokounmpo is a two-time league MVP and the 2021 Finals MVP and has spent 13 seasons with the Bucks, but most contenders around the NBA are trying to figure out a way to acquire him.
The Golden State Warriors were heavily linked to Antetokounmpo during the 2026 trade deadline, but a move couldn’t materialize in time. With the offseason also bringing in other contenders looking for a major leg-up, like the Minnesota Timberwolves, the trade talks for all these stars might get incredibly complicated.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz suggested a blockbuster four-team deal that seeks to address problems for multiple teams in the offseason, starting with the Warriors finally acquiring Antetokounmpo. The Timberwolves join this deal to acquire Kevin Durant from the Houston Rockets, who absorb Jimmy Butler’s expiring contract for a first-round pick. The Bucks receive the major haul, receiving three strong players, one salary filler, and three first-round picks.
Golden State Warriors Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Kevin Durant
Houston Rockets Receive: Jimmy Butler, No. 28 pick
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Julius Randle, Brandin Podziemski, Donte DiVincenzo, Dorian Finney-Smith, No. 11 pick, 2028 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2032 First-Round Pick (GSW)
The Warriors Inject New Life Into Stephen Curry’s Final Chapter
The Warriors’ 2025-26 season proved that they’re miles away from being a title contender. Even though injuries to Curry and Butler ruined their Playoff hopes, it’s hard to imagine a healthy Warriors making a dent in the 2026 Playoffs if they made it in. Head coach Steve Kerr almost retired over the lack of competitiveness, with his new contract with the team indicating he might have been given assurances of the competitive state of the team. Acquiring Antetokounmpo ($58,456,566) is the obvious dream.
Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in an injury-disrupted season with the Bucks, but the perennial MVP candidate would transform the Warriors. He’d be the first major downhill threat the Warriors have ever had in the Kerr era, giving the team one of the most dynamic guards in the world (Curry) and one of the most explosive forwards in the NBA (Giannis).
If they re-sign Kristaps Porzingis, they could have a genuinely terrifying frontcourt with Draymond filling in as the de facto point guard and perimeter stopper. Butler won’t play for most of next season anyway, so losing Brandin Podziemski and three picks for Giannis is an absolute dream scenario for the Warriors, provided the inclusion of other teams in the deal.
Anthony Edwards And Kevin Durant Finally Team Up
The only way the Timberwolves would join a trade where Antetokounmpo is going to the Warriors is one where they get a talent they’ve coveted in the past, Kevin Durant ($43,902,439). Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists last season with the Rockets, but his season ended badly in light of him playing just one Playoff game due to injury and creating an awkward locker room environment after his burner X account was allegedly leaked with hurtful stuff being said about his teammates.
One person Durant doesn’t say hurtful things about is Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards, with the pair having a mentor-mentee relationship. Durant would join the team as a certified No. 2 offensive option behind Edwards, with Rudy Gobert holding the defense down alongside Jaden McDaniels. While this still leaves a hole at point guard for the Timberwolves to address, they’ll make their star Edwards very happy by bringing him the player he considers his favorite of all time to be his teammate.
Julius Randle’s playoff performance showed that his time in Minnesota is likely over, as the player they traded him for (Karl-Anthony Towns) is playing in the 2026 NBA Finals. Durant is a major upgrade, and they’re acquiring him for the price of a player they need to move off and Donte DiVincenzo, who’s unlikely to play next season with a torn Achilles.
Rockets Adjust Their Roster
Not much happens for the Rockets in this deal outside of them losing Kevin Durant for basically the No. 28th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Jimmy Butler ($56,832,773) might be a fantastic fit in the Rockets locker room, but he likely won’t play most of next season.
This is an inexplicable step-back for the Rockets for a poor return, so they’ll have to deeply consider how badly did Durant hurt their locker room. Even if it was really bad, the Rockets could find a better deal by negotiating directly with the Timberwolves instead of joining a trade that helps their greatest modern rivals in Golden State land Giannis in the middle of their contention window.
Bucks Get A Haul For Their Outgoing Superstar
It’s hard to gauge if the Bucks would be happy with a package like this. It does give them everything they’d likely want. Julius Randle ($33,333,334) averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in the regular season and can help them remain competitive in the East, considering they don’t control their future draft picks. Brandin Podziemski ($5,679,459) is 23 years old and averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists last season, taking a developmental stride as a two-way do-it-all combo guard.
Dorian Finney-Smith ($13,335,000) joins this deal as salary filler after a rough season in Houston, where he averaged 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He might hold theoretical value as a veteran 3-and-D forward and would likely be flipped for more assets if the Bucks could get them.
Otherwise, he’s a solid expiring contract to have before opening up future cap space. DiVincenzo ($12,535,000) will likely rehab his torn Achilles with his former franchise before hitting the market as a free agent in 2027, opening up more space for Milwaukee.
Three first-round picks might be a little weak for Antetokounmpo, but there are multiple solid players they’re also receiving in this deal.
Would This Trade Go Through?
It’s highly improbable that a trade like this would go through for several reasons. The Timberwolves and Rockets have no reason to join a deal like this and help the Warriors land Antetokounmpo by redirecting assets to the Bucks. If the teams wanted to agree on a Durant trade, they’d simply deal with each other, as Randle is a much-better win-now fit for them than a 36-year-old forward on an expiring contract coming off a torn Achilles. Getting Durant for a price like this is ludicrous, even if he had a rough end to the season.
Other aspects of this deal are also weak, such as the poor draft pick return the Bucks are getting. But more than anything, it makes no sense why a trade like this would take place in the NBA since it is expressly built to make the Warriors big winners.
The Timberwolves and Rockets would just discuss the terms of a Durant trade with each other, as the Rockets would likely accept a winning piece like Randle and DiVincenzo’s expiring contract alongside the pick they offered. It might still take more, since the Rockets can try out the ideal version of their core next season with Fred VanVleet healthy again. Dealing Durant for a rehab year for Butler is a non-starter, making this entire trade fall apart.
The Warriors could just acquire Antetokounmpo directly, since they are the team out of these four that can actually afford to give Butler a year off to recover from his injury. They also would like Podziemski, but the pick price might go to five unprotected at the minimum, especially with a likely bidding war over Antetokounmpo.
